Vietnam veterans waiting on payment for Agent Orange illnesses

George Ferguson wasn't surprised when he read about the newly recognized presumptive illnesses related to his time served in Vietnam.

Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

George Ferguson wasn't surprised when he read about the newly recognized presumptive illnesses related to his time served in Vietnam.

The Franklin resident already collects benefits for type II diabetes, and now, like thousands of Vietnam veterans across the country, Ferguson is waiting to see if the Department of Veterans Affairs will officially recognize the heart disease he's been suffering from since 2005.

"Now I'm just waiting to find out if they will give me disability for my heart disease, and at what rate," he said.

Last year, the VA added three diseases to an existing list of conditions presumed to be the result of exposure to Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant used to destroy jungle foliage in Vietnam and expose the enemy.

B Cell leukemia, ischemic heart disease and Parkinson's disease were added to a list that includes type II diabetes, prostate and lung cancers, Hodgkin's disease and other conditions.

The conditions were officially published in the VA's Federal Registrar last month, and are subject to congressional review until Oct. 31.

"I think (the VA) is trying to be proactive here," he said.

Ferguson, originally from Walpole, was 20 years old when he was drafted in 1967. He spent a year with the U.S. Army at Camp Evans in Vietnam.

He came home unscathed, finished his education at UMass-Amherst and moved to Franklin in 1980.

In 2005, Ferguson had triple-bypass surgery, and was diagnosed with heart disease and diabetes.

"In September 2006, I brought (to the VA) all my medical records for the diabetes and heart problems. At that time, I was turned down for my heart (condition), but they gave me (benefits) for the type II diabetes," he said, adding he was given a 20 percent rating and collects $243 a month.

Last February, Ferguson filed a claim for his heart disease with the help of Franklin Veterans Agent Bob Fahey.

A spokesman for the Department of Veterans Services regional office said the VA is prepared to process several hundred claims come November.

He said hundreds of veterans have filed claims since the new conditions were announced, and while a plan is in place, he said it could be many months before vets hear back from the department.

"We have to gather a lot of information, and basically there's a due process involved. We send a letter out, and we have to wait 30 days for the veteran to reply. ... There are time frames built in by law," the spokesman said.

He said once a veteran files a disability claim, the VA sends out letters acknowledging the claim. He said there's a waiting process of 30 to 60 days for additional correspondence, and it could end up taking three to six months for payments to begin.

Framingham Veterans Agent Peter Harvell said the wait is worth it, and he encourages Vietnam veterans to register immediately.

"It's so critical that all the Vietnam veterans, whether they were on the ground or in the water, register with the VA for the Agent Orange Registry. Every VA facility has an Agent Orange Registry where guys can get free physical exams and get their names on a list so they're notified in the event of new changes," Harvell said.

Harvell said all veterans should get an exam, as benefits can potentially date back to the date of diagnosis.

"Contact your local veterans agent regarding the new and existing presumptive conditions," Fahey said. "There's been an ongoing emphasis on Vietnam veterans and their sacrifice. When they returned home, they were so poorly treated. In some ways, the VA now has the opportunity to make up for some of that treatment."

Ferguson said taking action is easier than ever.

"Go down (to your vets agent), fill out the needed paperwork and go get tested. The fact is, with the new presumptive claims process, if you have one of these disabilities and you were in Vietnam - and set one foot on land, you will get disability," he said. "It's not as hard a process as it used to be."

To find out more or file or an application for benefits, visit www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.

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